In the previous post, we answered a question asked by a reader on Facebook. Seeing my wall post that said, “Money is an echo of value; the thunder to value’s lightning,” she asked if that meant that those without much money held little value?
My response was basically that while a lack of money doesn’t in any way remove one’s intrinsic value as a human being, it does mean they have not brought or effectively communicated their value to the marketplace; at least not to the degree they would need in order to make more money.
Amy Wells, who owns The Bridal Salon of San Antonio, and who had attended one of my live events, chimed in by saying, “I can testify to this last statement, because as I’m learning to communicate my value to my marketplace, my ‘net’ is getting fuller.” She also realized she first had to become consciously aware of the value she provided.
The following is excerpted from an email Amy recently sent me:
“Bob, of the many things I learned and am implementing daily, the most surprising is what the ‘Price vs. Value’ teaching is doing for me.
“From this, I walked away with a heart understanding that the value I offer to my brides is my experience, expertise and assurance of the perfect delivery of her wedding gown for her very special day. Furthermore I have the value of being in the top three of every designer I carry, and I have a lot of influence with them on delivery dates, custom changes etc. That can only be offered by me and two other salons in the nation. I have now embraced the realization that what I have to offer my brides is of value.
“The surprise I received for having taken this into my heart was the additional money I netted for walking in my value. I used to easily give discounts, as I wanted each bride to be able to afford the dress that was ‘THE ONE,’ and I didn’t want a budget to stand in the way of her dream day. Some brides even threatened to get it elsewhere. There were times I bowed to their threat and other times I wished them well and they left.
However, as a result of your talk, when brides ask for a discount, instead I offer them me. I’m able to articulate the value of what I offer and how it will affect the outcome of their choice, as opposed to if they internet or discount shop. To date, I have netted an additional $9,839 for the month of November and I still have one day left to certainly add to that total. Oh and I didn’t lose one bride; they all chose to get their gown through my Salon.
“Thank you Bob. I’m walking in my value, and being paid for that value.”
And, her message is so important. Are you ever bullied into discounts or other concessions? Do you feel badly afterwards, as though you’ve operated out of fear or lack, and perhaps even allowed yourself to be taken advantage of? If so, it might be a value question. And, the questioner is you. Sure, expect the other person to try and get as much as they can while giving you as little as they can. That’s just human nature.
But, the decision as to whether or not you’re going to play that game is totally up to you. Sure, you might lose an occasional sale. So what? You’ll more than make up for it. Both, in the additional self-esteem you acquire and, in the additional income you make. After all, just like with Amy, your prospective buyers will sense that you believe you have/give value. And, when that’s the case, they’ll want to do business with you directly, and refer you to others.
And, oh yes…Amy did indeed hit the $10,000 mark of additional net income for the month. Good for you, Amy. And, good for those you served.
I’d love to hear any similar stories you have.
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Hey Bob (and Amy),
I can totally relate. I am a life and health coach and I KNOW what I need to do but don’t always do it – because I’m human, too! This is a great reminder of what we get when we are able to step into the value that we provide. I’ve been defining this to get myself clearer and clearer and it is working. It’s easy for us to get caught up in the ‘features’ of our products/services rather than the benefits. As my mentor says, people don’t go to Home Depot for a hammer, they go because they need a nail in their wall for a picture.
Blessings!
Jen Brentano
I am honored to know this Amy and have been watching her walk in her value. Thank you for this marvelous example Bob, and thank you Amy for sharing your story. I’d add one personal observation to this story, Amy is having a BLAST! She loves her work and she is deeply invested in every SPECIAL DAY. What a pleasure it is to see someone find and deliver their value in such a meaningful way. You hit the ball out of the park in San Antonio Bob. I continue to hear marvelous outcomes. Thank you!
I love reading these posts because so many times I am asked to cut my real estate commissions. People’s perspective is that we make too much money per transaction and therefore they have room to negotiate. Early in my career I did cut because I figured I was new and no where near qualified enough to ask for a full fee. I am starting to realize how valuable I can be because I can prevent major obstacles and protect people’s finances. It really took me finding it within myself to see how valuable and capable I am before I was able to confidently express it to my clients. Self esteem is such a large part of communicating your effectiveness. Thanks Bob for the great insight! BTW – I am still bummed I missed San Antonio 🙂
Bob, delighted to read of the breakthrough you helped Amy to achieve.
I know Amy to be a go-giver and someone who is very deserving of greater business success. So wonderful that you were able to unlock, for her, one of the ways to improve results in her business.
Bob,
Thank you for being you. Some of your readers have sent me private tweets with more helpful business info. 🙂 I’m honored to be the recipient of all of these nuggets.:-)
Amy
I just read all of this to my mom and she said, “Amy, you are showing that go-givers are go-getters. I’m your mom and you inspire me to look within myself and find more value. There’s no limits to what we can do and Amy you can show this to people.”
Love all your comments, everyone. Thank you so much. Amy, what a great compliment you received from your Mom!
Bob, Thank you so much is sharing this post with me. As you know I do a webisode once a week on Mondays and this adds much value to what I do. Many Blessings! ~Michelle
Michelle: Awesome, so glad you enjoyed it!